Seriously - should we charge more?
We've been thinking.
It was Stella Artois who used the term “reassuringly expensive” in a TV ad campaign but it’s a concept we’re probably all familiar with.
Even though most of us will be happy with a bargain when we buy something, there are also times when, for one reason or another, we’re happy to pay more.
Maybe we want to show off a bit, sometimes it’s because we’ve persuaded ourselves we deserve a little luxury or maybe it’s because we’re convinced that doing so guarantees quality. If this story in the Mail is anything to go by, we even have some set ideas on what a house should cost and get a little suspicious if it’s offered for less: (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5570045/Cheshire-1-8m-Grade-II-listed-mansion-just-fiver.html)
Why pay more?
But when it comes to paying for a service rather than a product, do the same principles apply? We may be happy with a small percentage increase but what if your preferred taxi firm, your plumber or you garage was charging you three or four times as much as some of their rivals? Would you still stick with them?
Bizarrely, it seems – when it comes to estate agency at least – the answer is often yes. The High Street Henrys may have been around a lot longer of course but, even though there are now a number of more modern and much cheaper online alternatives, they only account for just over 5% of the market.
Why? From research done to date and from our own experience, it seems the answer is that many vendors are simply not comfortable with paying so little for their estate agency services. They would rather part with thousands in commission instead of a few hundred pounds with an internet-only estate agent, even if the service is almost exactly the same.
We offer a money-back guarantee with our up-front package which means you can ask for your money back if we fall short of expectations. We even offer an on-completion deal which allows our clients to settle only if we’re successful in selling their home.
But, for many, the fact both packages are considerably cheaper than many of our rivals is enough of a disincentive. The assumption is made that, if it’s cheaper, it’s not as good.
Doing It Our Way
We’ve tried highlighting the feedback given by our customers on independent review website Trustpilot; we’ve consistently maintained a focus on a friendly, no-nonsense estate agency services free from jargon. But, while we’re winning instructions for an increasing variety of homes across the UK, we’re aware the resistance to the online estate agency business model is still there – and we suspect it will be for some years to come.
We could put our prices up of course – and we’ve even offered to when we’re asked why we’re so cheap. But we’re convinced the fees we charge for the services we offer are fair so, for now, we’ll leave them where they are and continue to let our results do the talking.
After all, a couple of industry awards and our top ranking on Trustpilot isn’t bad for a compact but dedicated team. If you’d like to know more about us, what we do and how we do it, just give us a call. We’d be more than happy to explain how we can save you thousands of pounds which you could use to pay for that new kitchen, a three-piece suite or even a holiday when moving house is over…